There are no 'phantom voters' in the Election Commission's electoral rolls as the commission has taken steps to ensure they are free of irregularities, Minister in Prime Minister's Department Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz told the Dewan Rakyat today during its question-and-answer session.

Replying to a question from Seputeh MP Teresa Kok who wanted to know the number of phantom voters in the electoral rolls and measures taken by the EC to eradicate them, Nazri said, "The are no phantom voters ... the phantoms are there," and pointed to the DAP MPs.

He explained that prior to July 16, 2002 there were 2.8 million voters whose addresses on the electoral rolls did not tally with the ones on their MyKads. However, from that date the EC enforced the ruling the both addresses should match.

"With the addresses on their MyKads and electoral roles matching, there are no phantom voters," the minister said.

In a supplementary question Kok said proof that phantom voters still existed was demonstrated when Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy chief Azmin Ali's father was shown to have voted despite having passed away. Another case, she added, involved former Sabah chief minister Yong Teck Lee who was found guilty of election offences involving false MyKads.

To this, Nazri said, "If the dead person really has voted, it is a Keadilan phantom and not BN's".

As to Yong's offence, he said it was only the EC's job was to register new voters and not check whether an identity card was false or not.

"It is another department's duty to verify the identity card. If anyone brings a MyKad to register as a voter, the EC will register. That's their job," he said.